Tiger Tracker: Woods fires 2-over 72

Tiger Tracker: Woods fires 2-over 72

Tiger Tracker: Woods fires 2-over 72

AKRON, Ohio — That wasn’t what Tiger Woods was hoping for at the outset of Friday’s second round at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club.

Opening the day with a bogey and then sloppy work on and around the greens pushed Woods to a 2-over 72 and is currently 13 shots off Jim Furyk’s commanding lead.

Looking to work his way back toward even, Woods hit a fabulous tee shot into the par-3 7th hole to about 5 feet, but managed to three-putt to pick up a bogey instead.

See how the rest of his round unfolded, and stay tuned as we keep you up-to-date on Luke Donald, Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson this afternoon.

• • •

No. 9, Par 4, 494 yards

With a birdie here, Tiger could actually save a solid round of 71 after that birdie at No. 8.

• Off the tee: Well, that birdie-birdie finish is likely not going to happen after another drive to the left, offline enough for another “Fore!”

• Approach shot: Tiger muscles it out of the rough and gets it to the green and it runs off the back into the intermediate cut, about 25 feet from the hole.

• Around the green: Tiger uses 3-wood from the collar and leaves it about a foot short.

• On the green: Tiger taps that in to cap off a 2-over 72 that leaves his 13 shots off Jim Furyk’s lead. Tiger is currently T-48.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 2 over (thru 18 holes; 2 over for tournament)

• • •

No. 8, Par 4, 482 yards

That was just plain ugly. A three-putt from less than 5 feet is just not Tiger Woods, but he can’t seem to figure out any of these greens.

• Off the tee: Tiger rips a driver at the long par 4, with a little extra in the swing due to his aggravating day, mostly the last seven holes.

• Approach shot: After his 387-yard drive finds the fairway, Tiger has only a little more than 100 yards into the green and he plays a nice shot to about 15 feet right of the hole.

• On the green: Tiger drains the birdie attempt for his second birdie of the day, but is 13 shots off the lead.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 2 over (thru 17 holes; 2 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: Most of the leaders are now finished with their rounds. Jim Furyk still leads at 11 under and is 4 under on the day with one hole left. Rafael Cabrera-Bello is second at 9 under after a 5-under 65, which is currently tied for the lowest of the day. Louis Oosthuizen is third at 8 under after his 65 Friday and David Toms turned in a 67 to enter the clubhouse in fourth at 5 under. Also, Rory McIlroy is in with a 67 and is 3 under entering Saturday.

• • •

No. 7, Par 3, 219 yards

Tiger could use a couple of birdie over the final three holes to salvage an even-par 70.

• Off the tee: This will definitely go down as Tiger’s best shot of the day, flirting with a hole-in-one and leaving it just 4 feet from the hole.

• On the green: Tiger sends his birdie attempt nearly 5 feet past, completely misreading it. And then misses the comebacker to take a birdie and make it a bogey.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 3 over (thru 16 holes; 3 over for tournament)

• • •

No. 6, Par 4, 469 yards

That was only the second two-putt on Tiger’s final nine holes, but that is mostly because he hasn’t been hitting his greens in regulation.

• Off the tee: Tiger takes driver and stares it down the whole way, but doesn’t get the result he wants, finding the left rough.

• Approach shot: Tiger comes up short of the green and will have about 30 feet to the hole with a chip.

• Around the green: Tiger hits a nice chip to about 2 feet under the hole and he knocks that in for a par.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 2 over (thru 15 holes; 2 over for tournament)

• • •

No. 5, Par 3, 200 yards

Tiger needs something special coming in, but nothing tells us that he has that gear today, with his short game and putter failing him consistently.

• Off the tee: With the hole tucked on the far left, Tiger still takes aim and knocks it stiff, leaving himself about 13 feet for a birdie. Easily his best shot of the day.

• On the green: Tiger puts a nice roll on this one, but misses left and taps in for a par. He is less upset about this one.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 2 over (thru 14 holes; 2 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: Louis Oosthuizen has moved up to third at 7 under after a birdie on No. 6. He’s 3 under on the front nine and he has four birdies with three holes remaining. Oosthuizen is four back of leader Jim Furyk and two behind Rafael Cabrera-Bello, who is finished at 9 under after shooting 5-under 65 Friday. Also, David Toms is 3 under on the day and 5 under for the tournament with two holes left today.

• • •

No. 4, Par 4, 471 yards

Tiger is gutting this round out, just trying to stay around par as he continues to struggle with his short irons and putter. He actually has two one-putts over the past three holes, but his distance control with his wedge is definitely off.

• Off the tee: With driver in hand, Tiger doesn’t like this one immediately and yells “Fore!” This one is left again.

• Approach shot: Hitting from the thick rough on the left, Tiger can only muscle it up near the green, leaving it short and left. He’ll have to get up-and-down for par.

• Around the green: Hitting from the rough again, Tiger gets too much of the ball and it runs past the hole and off the green and into the intermediate cut of rough, where he’ll have about 20 feet to save par.

• On the green: Tiger’s fourth shot is 4 feet wide of the hole and he knocks that in for his third bogey of the afternoon.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 2 over (thru 13 holes; 2 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: Rory McIlroy is now just outside the top 10 at T-11. McIlroy moved back to 3 under after a birdie at the par- sixth. It’s his sixth birdie of the day after he made just three Thursday.

• • •

No. 3, Par 4, 442 yards

That birdie on No. 2 was much-needed for Tiger, even if he is a dozen shots off the lead. A few birdies over his final seven holes could put him in position to put pressure on the leaders with an early low round on Saturday.

• Off the tee: Tiger smacks his tee ball up the left side of the fairway, landing about 330 yards from the tee box. He’ll have only 120 yards into the green.

• Approach shot: Tiger is struggling with his distance control with his wedges, putting this one right over the flag, but it runs off the green and into the intermediate cut of rough, about 30 feet from the hole.

• Around the green: Tiger plays a nice chip and gets it in snug and taps in for a par. After that fantastic tee ball, a par is a bit disappointing for Woods.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 1 over (thru 12 holes; 1 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: Jim Furyk’s stellar play continues as he moves to 11 under with a birdie at the par-4 13th. Furyk has birdied 13 of 18 holes so far this tournament and has five birdies today.

• • •

No. 2, Par 5, 526 yards

Well, that was another poor start to a set of nine holes. Tiger just doesn’t look comfortable on the greens and is struggling with his distances with his short irons.

• Off the tee: Tiger desperately needs a birdie here, if not an eagle. Tiger’s tee ball heads to the left, but gets a kick off a tree and it finds the fairway. He’ll have little chance of getting to the green in two.

• Second shot: Tiger takes a rip at it and clears the bunker in front of the green, leaving it just short of the green and should be able to get up-and-down for birdie.

• Third shot: Tiger’s chip up the slope comes up about 6 feet short, which he’ll have for his first birdie of the day. This is a must if he hopes to inch his way back toward red numbers.

• On the green: Tiger drains it for his first birdie of the day and moves to T-38. Despite the birdie, he is still 12 shots behind Jim Furyk.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 1 over (thru 11 holes; 1 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: Jim Furyk moves to 10 under after a birdie on the par-3 12th. Furyk, who bogeyed the hole Thursday, is two shots ahead of second-place Rafael Cabrera-Bello and five clear of Lee Slattery, John Senden and Louis Oosthuizen.

• • •

No. 1, Par 4, 399 yards

Tiger hit 6 of 9 greens in regulation on his opening nine holes, but still had 16 putts, with no birdies. Tiger has dropped to T-40 and 10 shots back of Jim Furyk.

• Off the tee: Tiger uses 3-wood off the first tee again and slides it up the right side of the fairway and leaves himself about 110 yards into the green.

• Approach shot: Tiger comes up short with his second shot and will have to chip from the rough to the hole.

• Around the green: Tiger’s chip runs about 5 feet past the hole and he’ll have another knee-knocker for par.

• On the green: He misses and picks up another bogey to fall another stroke back.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 2 over (thru 10 holes; 2 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: Steve Stricker has four birdies in his last seven holes, his latest coming at the par-5 second hole, which moves him to 5 under. Rafael Cabrera-Bello now has five birdies on his round Friday. His last one came at the par-5 16th to move him to 8 under and one shot back of Jim Furyk. Cabrera-Bello has now birdied the two par 5s – Nos. 2 and 16 – both days.

• • •

No. 18, Par 4, 464 yards

While Tiger does have 15 putts through 8 holes, he does seem to be hitting them firmer on Friday, but just can’t seem to get them to fall, burning edge after edge.

• Off the tee: Tiger pulls driver and hammers it, walking it down the fairway as it lands.

• Approach shot: With only 125 yards left after a 340-yard drive that split the fairway, Tiger plays it a bit too long and finds a greenside bunker behind the hole.

• Around the green: Tiger gets the ball out cleanly and leaves himself about 5 feet for par.

• On the green: Tiger picks up another one-putt here, saving par and making the turn with a 1-over 36, currently 10 shots off Jim Furyk’s lead. After the opening bogey, Tiger picked up eight consecutive pars.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 1 over (thru 9 holes; 1 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: Jim Furyk as built a two-shot lead again. Furyk is at 9 under, two shots up on Rafael Cabrera-Bello, who just bogeyed the par-4 14th. Meanwhile, Rory McIlory dropped two shots with a double bogey on the par-4 No. 1 hole. McIlroy bogeyed the hole Thursday and his troubles continued Friday. He’s now at 1 under after being 3 under at one point during his second round.

• • •

No. 17, Par 4, 400 yards

That was a huge par save for Tiger on the 16th hole, especially after two bad shots to start the hole. It was also his first one-putt of the day (he has 13 putts through 7 holes).

• Off the tee: Using 3-wood, Tiger just slaps it up the middle of the fairway and leaves himself about 150 yards into the green.

• Approach shot: Tiger goes pin-hunting again and flies it just past the hole and will have about 16 feet for a birdie.

• On the green: Tiger takes this one right across the edge of the cup, but can’t get it to fall and settles for another par.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 1 over (thru 8 holes; 1 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: Rory McIlroy continues to climb up the leaderboard. McIlroy is T-12 at 3 under after a birdie at No. 18. He now has four birdies in nine holes today.

• • •

No. 16, Par 5, 667 yards

For a second consecutive day, Tiger wastes a great tee shot at the 15th hole with a two-putt. He now moves to a par 5 that bit him due to a bad tee shot on Thursday.

• Off the tee: Tiger pushes his drive to the right again, this time hitting a tree and coming to rest in the rough. He has an alarming 390 yards left to the green after only going 290 yards off the tee.

• Second shot: Tiger goes from trouble to trouble, putting it in the left rough, making it almost impossible to get to the green.

• Third shot: Tiger does lay up for the second straight day, leaving himself about 85 yards into the green.

• Fourth shot: Tiger plays a nice shot to about 10 feet, which he’ll have for par.

• On the green: After consulting with caddie Joe LaCava, Tiger finally gets a putt to drop, saving par and potentially saving his round.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 1 over (thru 7 holes; 1 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: After a bogey on the par-4 14th dropped him back to 1 under, Rory McIlroy is back to 2 under after a birdie on the par-5 16th. He has three birdies through seven holes now. Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson and Steve Stricker have joined those at 4 under. Johnson is 3 under on the day after his latest birdie on No. 16. Stricker has three birdies – his latest came at No. 18 – and a bogey. Jim Furyk falls back to 8 under and into a share of the lead with Rafael Cabrera-Bello after a bogey at the par-4 eighth.

• • •

No. 15, Par 3, 221 yards

That is five consecutive two-putts to start the round for Tiger, who is now 10 shots off Jim Furyk’s lead.

• Off the tee: Tiger flights a beautiful ball, taking right over the flag and coming to rest about 15 feet past the hole.

• On the green: Another hole, another two-putt. Tiger pushes his putt 2 feet past and taps in for a par.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 1 over (thru 6 holes; 1 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: After Rafael Cabrera-Bello joined Jim Furyk atop the leaderboard at 8 under, Furyk wasted no time reclaiming sole possession of the lead. Furyk birdied the par-4 sixth – his second birdie of the day – to move to 9 under.

• • •

No. 14, Par 4, 467 yards

Tiger seems to have calmed down since that opening bogey, but still has eight putts through four holes.

• Off the tee: Tiger takes another 3-wood and laces it up the left side, finding the intermediate cut about 300 yards down the fairway.

• Approach shot: Firing at the flag in the middle-left from just under 170 yards, Tiger plays a nice fade into the green, landing it pin-high and to the right.

• On the green: From about 18 feet, Tiger puts way too much mustard on it and sends it about 5 feet past. Tiger knocks that in for his fourth consecutive par.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 1 over (thru 5 holes; 1 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: Rafael Cabrera-Bello notched his fourth birdie and second in a row at the par-4 11th to move into a share of the lead at 8 under.

• • •

No. 13, Par 4, 471 yards

That is already six putts through three holes for Tiger. He’s going to need some one-putts to move back into contention.

• Off the tee: Facing a dogleg right, Tiger cuts the corner slightly too much and comes to rest in the right intermediate rough with a 320-yard drive. He’ll have 150 yards to the back-left pin.

• Approach shot: Tiger is able to get it to the green despite some overhanging branches, but leaves it about 25 feet under the hole for a birdie attempt.

• On the green: Tiger finds the right line, but leaves it about 2 feet from the cup and taps in for a third consecutive par.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 1 over (thru 4 holes; 1 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: John Senden moved to 5 under after a birdie on the par-4 17th. He’s 1 under on the day and three back of Jim Furyk.

• • •

No. 12, Par 3, 180 yards

Tiger is quickly playing himself out of this tournament, which is abnormal since he has won here seven times. He’s going to need a run of birdies so that he can stay within a handful of shots of Jim Furyk, who is at 8 under.

• Off the tee: Tiger seems to have misclubbed here, hitting the front of the green but leaving it about 22 feet under the hole.

• On the green: Tiger can’t get this one to fall, reading too much break and he taps in for another par.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 1 over (thru 3 holes; 1 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: Rory McIlroy has started much better than he did Thursday. McIlroy, who was 3 over through his first four holes (Nos. 1-4) during the first round, is 2 under through his first four holes (Nos. 10-13) Friday. He’s 2 under for the tournament.

• • •

No. 11, Par 4, 418 yards

Well, that was a disastrous start for Tiger, taking a hole that he made a short birdie on on Thursday and turning it into a grind-it-out bogey on Friday. He is now nine shots off the lead.

• Off the tee: Again with 3-wood, Tiger hammers it up the left side of the fairway and has only about 130 yards into the flag.

• Approach shot: Tiger takes aim at the back-left pin and leaves it about 15 feet right of the hole, his first look at birdie on the day.

• On the green: Tiger pushes his birdie attempt past the hole and knocks in a 2-footer for par. A day after going 2 under on the back-nine’s opening holes, he posts 1 over on Friday.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 1 over (thru 2 holes; 1 over for tournament)

• • •

No. 10, Par 4, 410 yards

Tiger begins his round on the back nine, where he started brilliantly on Thursday, but sputtered over the final six holes. Tiger will need to go low on a course that seems receptive to birdies thus far.

• Off the tee: A day after pushing everything to the right, Tiger yanks his first tee ball of the day to the left with his 3-wood. Not the start he was looking for.

• Approach shot: Tiger finds a fairway bunker and is on the upslope, but has a lip to deal with. He gets it out and comes up short of the green.

• Around the green: He gets it about halfway to the hole, leaving himself about 30 feet for par.

• On the green: Tiger nestles the par attempt in close, but has to settle for a tap-in bogey. Not the start he was looking for.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 1 over (thru 1 hole; 1 over for tournament)

• Elsewhere on the course: Leader Jim Furyk just birdied the par-5 second – he made eagle on the hole Thursday – and moves to 8 under, two strokes ahead of Rafael Cabrera-Bello, who is 2 under on the day thanks to birdies at Nos. 2 and 3.

• • •

Update #1: 9:53 a.m. EDT

Rafael Cabrera-Bello continues his solid play, moving to 6 under and one shot off the lead behind two early birdies through five holes of his second round.

Meanwhile, Thongchai Jaidee has withdrawn from Bridgestone due to a sprained ankle he suffered on the ninth hole yesterday.